STUDY FINDS HUGE JUMP IN ISLAND DRUG ARRESTS

Growing drug use and better investigative techniques have helped lead to a
huge increase in drug arrests on Prince Edward Island, according to the
RCMP.

A recent study from Statistics Canada showed Canada had a record number of
drug-related charges in 2002, most for cannabis. There were 93,000 incidents
reported, three-quarters of them for pot.

Sgt. Richard Thibault, communications officer for 'L' Division of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police, said the reported increase came as no surprise to
his colleagues. The RCMP shares joint drug operations with the Charlottetown
and Summerside police forces.

'Since 1992 to 2002, there has been an increase on P.E.I. of 52 per cent,'
Thibault said.

'Part of that is due to a more co-ordinated and concentrated effort where we
have police departments sharing operations and sharing intelligence. It has
allowed us to be more effective in keeping on top of drug activity that is
going on.'

Thibault said police are seeing evidence that drug users are taking a more
relaxed and open approach to their use.

He said there has been an impression of acceptance that began with talks of
medical applications for marijuana and gained currency with the opening of
'cannabis cafes' in some cities that allow patrons to smoke hashish or
marijuana.

'There is a bit of a mistaken impression that has been sent by a lot of the
discussion that's been in the media,' Thibault said.

'The possession of pot is still prohibited and it is illegal in Canada. The
law is very clear about that.'

On Tuesday, a coalition that included police groups, customs officers and
the advocacy group Mothers Against Drunk Driving sent an open letter to
Prime Minister Paul Martin asking him to delay passage of legislation that
would relax Canada's laws on marijuana possession.

Parliamentarians are considering legislation that would decriminalize
possession of less than 15 grams of cannabis. The bill would impose fines of
$100 to $400 for simple possession but would not impose a criminal record on
petty offenders.

The groups said relaxed marijuana laws would send a bad message to Canadian
youth, leaving the impression that drug use is an acceptable activity.

They said no relaxation should be allowed at least until Ottawa improves the
ability of police to control drug traffic and increases their powers to stop
and charge motorists who are driving while impaired by drugs.

Thibault said his colleagues are concerned that drug use is becoming seen as
a tolerable practice when drugs themselves are becoming more potent than
ever.

'The joint that you buy today would have many times more THC (the ingredient
that makes marijuana intoxicating) than what would have been available 15 or
20 years ago,' he said.